I Became the Villain’s Lost Daughter Chapter 98

“Hmm, Thane told me to pick what I want to eat, so I think I’ll try the spicy skewers tonight.”

 

Yum~

 

I muttered in an excited tone as I walked away, causing Thane, who had been following me meekly, to wince.

 

“It was so spicy, they had a sign that said one could die eating it, I think? Next time, I’ll bring along Yurgen.”

 

Thane’s steps twitched slightly at my next words.

 

I was teasing, of course, but it really did say that on the sign.

 

Though Thane would deny it, he clearly couldn’t eat spicy food.

 

However, Yurgen surprisingly liked spicy food.

 

For that reason, when the three of us ate, Thane would often eat something else.

 

He would always try the spicy food, thinking he could eat it, and then immediately turn bright red and burst into tears.

 

‘…Um, I teased you too much.’

 

I glanced up, somehow picturing a face that would remain pitifully still even without looking.

 

Then I panicked.

 

“…Thane?”

 

Expecting him to look helpless, Thane’s face was the opposite of what I thought it would be, determined.

 

With a little exaggeration, he was as eager as he had been in training.

 

“Miss Erita, I can actually eat today, no, I’ll definitely eat.”

 

…No, what?

 

“Eh, eh? No, I’m just kidding… You don’t eat Thane’s spicy food. Try something else…”

 

“No, I want to eat it, Mm-hmm. Let’s eat skewers that are so spicy that two 

people can eat them without one dying, Miss Erita.”

 

Somehow, I felt the emphasis on the word ‘spicy’.

 

In an instant, I was the one sweating profusely.

 

“Thane, I’m sorry. I was being a little naughty, but there are so many other delicious things here, what do you want?”

 

Realizing that I’d just ignited Thane’s unknown competitive streak, I tried to deflect, but he didn’t budge.

 

“How about a steak? I know a perfect place!”

 

“Eh, no, let’s go get those skewers Miss Erita told me about.”

 

No matter how many times I tried to cajole him with his favorite steak, he stubbornly insisted on the spicy skewers.

 

For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out where this weird competitive spirit came from.

 

Thane’s stubbornness made me want to cry.

 

I thought to myself, ‘Why would someone play a prank on such an innocent boy?’ 

 

And I couldn’t help but feel like a terrible person.

 

If Thane ate a really spicy skewer, I was sure his lips and eyes would swell up again today.

 

It was just the way it was supposed to be.

 

But I couldn’t break Thane’s stubbornness.

 

“Mmm, ah, ha…”

 

The result was a grayish tear in Thane’s eye.

 

Of the six skewers of meat, Thane ate only one and a half.

 

It was enough to irritate his sensitive tongue.

 

“Come on, let’s try something else… stop eating.”

 

“It’s okay…, heh, I’m fine.”

 

Despite my protests, Thane shook his head and shoved another half of the meat into his mouth.

 

“No, Thane… if anyone saw this, they’d think I was bullying you…”

 

Thane with teary eyes eating a spicy skewer and me beside him with a straight face.

 

It didn’t seem like a very friendly scene.

 

‘…I’m glad I changed my hair color.’

 

Grand Duchess of Krovachatz, harassing commoners on the streets? That’s the perfect headline for a gossip magazine.

 

In my previous life and here, people prying into other people’s private lives were the same.

 

Well, of course, my dad wouldn’t be pleased if an article like that actually came out.

 

“If you eat anymore, you probably won’t be able to sleep tonight. Here, orange juice.”

 

Apologizing for Thane’s already swollen lips, I held out the cool orange juice.

 

Thane’s gaze shook as he watched the juice float down to the ice. 

 

He looked back and forth between the skewer and the orange juice and finally rolled his eyes and turned away from the skewer.

 

Luckily, his stubbornness seemed to melt away as he popped the skewer into his mouth.

 

“Drink up, drink a lot.”

 

Thane gulped down the orange juice, which was squeezed from fresh fruit and touted as the best in the Empire.

 

“How does Miss Erita like this…”

 

Thane asked me with a grimace as he inhaled to see if the spiciness still lingered.

 

“Mmm, because it’s delicious?”

 

I responded with a smirk, and Thane frowned again.

 

Apparently, he didn’t like the fact that he couldn’t eat something I liked.

 

“I thought I could actually eat today.”

 

“Why do you want to eat something so spicy, I know you beasts are sensitive to flavors.”

 

“…It’s your favorite, Miss Erita, and I wanted to share it with you…”

 

Thane whimpered softly, his face a mess of grit.

 

The nape of his neck was scratched, and he looked a little embarrassed.

 

“…Ugh, really. You’re so sweet.”

 

Feeling a little embarrassed myself, I spoke more cheerfully, leading Thane away.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“Since Thane ate my favorite spicy skewers with me, I’m going to get his favorite chocolate ice cream. How about that?”

 

“…Sounds good.”

 

If he had a tail, he would have wagged it immediately.

 

💫

 

The place I brought Thane to was the café Clair Ciel.

 

Better yet, 《Clair Ciel》.

 

It was where Aaron had brought me when I was new to the capital. It was also where I met Callian, who happened to be a Lian.

 

“Welcome, for two?”

 

We opened the door and were greeted by a smiling clerk.

 

“Yes, two of us.”

 

“We have a window seat and an inside seat available, which would you prefer?”

 

“Um, wait a minute, Thane, I think we should go inside, don’t you?”

 

Thane, who had been awkwardly gesturing around the store in response to my question, nodded quickly.

 

I would have preferred a window seat, but Thane doesn’t like being watched, so I figured the partitioned interior would be better.

 

“Inside, please.”

 

“Yes, I’ll take you inside then, please come this way.”

 

We followed the cheerful clerk and were lucky enough to find a seat in the back.

 

To give Thane a seat away from the prying eyes of others, I sat down in front of him first.

 

“When you’ve decided on your order, please ring the bell on the table!”

 

Thane’s face relaxed as the waitress who had placed the menu turned her back and walked away.

 

It was a sign I recognized but didn’t bother to verbalize.

 

“Here, pick out everything you want to eat here. I’ll buy you everything.”

 

Instead, I flipped open the menu and smiled.

 

After a few minutes, Thane looked up and picked out a simple ice cream cone, and I ordered five, adding more of his favorites.

 

“So, Miss Erita, have you been out in the downtown area much?”

 

Thane asked, holding a spoon that was too small for his large hands.

 

“Huh?”

 

“You seem to know a lot of places, so…”

 

To recap, I was the one who decided where we were going today.

 

I was the one who stopped by the general store and picked up a few things for Thane, and I was the one who brought him to the café now.

 

No wonder Thane was puzzled, I’d only been in the capital for less than two months.

 

“Well, I’ve been found out. I’ve been sneaking out in disguise whenever I’m bored.”

 

“…You’ve been sneaking out again?”

 

Thane asked, his eyes narrowing as I answered casually.

 

“It’s not safe to sneak out like that, you’re not even in the Grand Duchy…”

 

Thane then proceeded to ramble on about how dangerous the capital was.

 

Most of it was about how many vicious thieves there were, and how much of a nuisance the sniveling bastards were.

 

It took less than five minutes for the capital, the second most secure city after the Grand Duchy, to be labeled a dangerous place.

 

“Well, Thane, sure, it could be dangerous, but… I’m a wizard.”

 

As much as it pains me to say it, I’m a supreme wizard.

 

“Even if you were a wizard, I’d still be worried about you, Miss Erita, because you’re always worried about me when I go out on assignments…”

 

Thane cut me off with a scowl.

 

I was at a loss for words at this statement of fact, which had nothing to point out.

 

‘…For a moment I thought I was seeing my father and brother.’

 

It seemed like they were the only two people who were worried, even though they knew I wasn’t weak enough to be taken advantage of by these punks.

 

“No, that’s not the same thing as this…”

 

“It’s the same thing.”

 

Thane replied firmly, uncharacteristically for a man who acted like a soft tofu towards me.

 

In truth, even I, who was worried about Thane, who had the purest bloodline among the wolf beings, was not overprotective.

 

If anything, Yurgen would tell me to stop acting like Thane’s mother and father.

 

‘But no matter how big she is, he still feels so fragile.’

 

The memory of Thane’s little body was too much for me.

 

“…Okay, I’ll be more careful from now on.”

 

But I didn’t hate Thane’s concern, so I smiled and nodded.

 

“You really should be careful.”

 

Thane’s face softened as if relieved.

 

I’d forgotten for a moment that the seemingly innocent Thane had a surprisingly persistent side.

 

“…Ah.”

 

Thane made a small grunt as if he had realized something. He looked at me with a brightened face and pursed his lips.

 

“So I can be Miss Erita’s escort now?”

 

The question that popped out was one I hadn’t expected.